Seven Years and an Unshaven Face
by Super Sheba
Summary: Seven years is a long time to wait for someone, especially him, but seven years can also go by in the blink of an eye. MayaxPhoenix


**Seven Years and an Unshaven Face**

He was unmistakably what most people would call a hobo. His lazy manner of dress and laid back mannerisms practically screamed hobo to most who saw him. His chin was littered with fine black stubble, and upon his head was a beanie. He had gone from high class (or as high class as his meager salary had afforded) to messy.

And she had never been happier to see him.

The stubble upon his unshaven face that received him displeased glares merely served to remind her that he was a man.

His style of dress only proved to her that he had surpassed his anxiety that he had before nearly succumbed to on several occasions.

His beanie did nothing but bring a grin to her face as she remembered his dark, spiky hair.

She was terribly proud of him. Perhaps he was no longer the lawyer beating his way down a glorified path that she had known seven years ago. Perhaps he no longer sported his shining attorney's badge that he had so proudly worn.

To her, it did not matter. To her, he was still the amazing man who had defended his clients even at risk to his own reputation. He needed no suit and badge to be the kind and compassionate man whom she had grown so attached to.

To her, he was still Phoenix Wright, the man who had pulled her to her feet after the death of her sister, the man who had held unfaltering faith in her innocence in the murder of Dr. Grey.

He was still Phoenix Wright, the man who had battled with his conscience until the very end in order to save her from the clutches of an assassin, who had desperately pulled her into his warm embrace.

So when she was him that day in the park, sitting on the bench, his nose deep within a mystery novel, tears of joy began to trickle down her cheeks. Those intense brown eyes were unmistakable.

She was in disbelief. Shocked, her legs caved beneath her and she sank to her knees, falling onto the soft green grass.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the form of a young woman crumbling, and out of concern he earnestly rushed to her side.

"Are you alright, Miss?" he asked kindly, offering her a hand to help her regain her footing.

"Nick?" she whispered quietly, unsure of herself. Her mind attempted to regain control of her rapidly beating heart, telling her that she was mistaken. How could a man for whom she had yearned for seven years appear before her so coincidentally. It was far too good to be true!

When he looked into the teary grey eyes before him, his body reacted before his mind could fully process what had happened.

His heart needed no help from his mind, for it knew exactly who this young woman was.

Her petite body catapulted towards him as he pulled her into an earnest embrace.

"May..?" he began to utter softly, afraid that the sound of her name would shatter the image of the girl before him.

He was hushed by a soft pair of lips that captured his hungrily.

He could feel her longing as she gripped his back tightly, unwilling to let go.

Her face fell to the crook of his neck as she began to weep.

He pulled her closer to him as she sobbed, unable to put into words the emotions coursing through him.

"I've missed you," she whimpered as she clung to him, fearing that if she let go he would disappear from her life again as he had done seven years ago. "Once I left for Kurain Village, I never saw you again."

Pausing, she brought her hands up to his beanie and pulled it from his head, raking her fingers through his hair.

"Why, Nick?" she questioned him sadly. "Why didn't you come see me like you promised?"

"I was scared, Maya." he replied hesitantly, unsure of how to answer her. "I didn't want to hold you back from your calling."

"Nick," she cried, taken aback. "What gives you the right to make decisions for me? What makes you think being the leader of a village is my calling? I've been training Pearly every day so that when I saw you again I wouldn't have to leave you behind."

He was speechless as she looked angrily into his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maya." he told her, his hand finding hers, their fingers intertwining. "But I swear I never wanted to leave you. I hated every moment we were apart."

She pulled her hand from his and shoved her right index finger into his chest.

"Do you know how worried I've been about you?" she asked as he wiped her eyes with his now free hand. "I kept sending you packages and letters, but you never said anything! Did you really think I'd forget about you if you didn't say anything?"

His eyes wandered to the ground guiltily, but she grasped his chin firmly, forcing him to look into her eyes.

"Nick, you know I forgive you!" she whispered as she gazed upon the face she had missed for seven long years. "How could I not?"

She again threw her arms around his neck and embraced him tightly, hoping that she would never have to let go.

"Nick, just promise me something, okay?" she pleaded into his shirt, her face again buried in the crook of his neck.

"What?" he questioned her, his tone sincere.

She shifted in his embrace to stare into his eyes, a serious look spread across her petite features.

"Well, I might be more inclined to completely forgive you--" she began, her voice still and strong.

"But you just said--" he interrupted her, his eyes alight with confusion.

"If you promise to take me out for big, juicy burgers for lunch." she finished, placing her index finger to his lips and halting his interruption as her serious gaze slowly crept into a mischievous grin.

"It's a date." he told her, smiling widely as he offered his hand to help her to rise from her precarious position on the ground. "It's a date."


End file.
